The Mechanics of a Heart
by GlitterAndSnow
Summary: Anna receives a Christmas gift: an android girl to follow her orders and service her family. It is not in this android's programming to want for herself, to feel for herself, to love for herself... or is it? Soon, Anna and her Elsa will find themselves connected in a way technology could have never imagined.
1. Chapter One

_**Welcome, dearies. Due to popular demand, what was once known as the robot!Elsa AU on Tumblr finally takes shape as a full-on story. Join me in this new adventure. I hope you enjoy this story.**_

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**Chapter One**

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She was an early Christmas gift, or so her father said. He arrived one morning after a trip, with two men behind him carrying her in a box. They went all the way upstairs to leave her in Anna's room, while her father explained what his gift was.

"It will keep you company during school break," he said.

"What is it?"

"One of the new robots, you know, the androids. The ones that can do everything for you. They're high technology, the latest from Japan. It can help you with your homework and be a sort of personal assistant. Not that you need any help, my smart girl," he patted her cheek. "It cost a fortune, so be careful. All the instructions are in that booklet."

Anna's father opened the box and removed the bubble wrap. She was there, lying completely still. Smooth, quiet, beautiful. It reminded Anna of a coffin, that large box and a lifeless girl with her arms to the sides and her eyes closed.

"It looks good," said Anna's mother. "What's its name?"

"It doesn't have a name. We name it however we want."

Anna looked up. "Don't say 'it'. She's a girl."

"Anna, it's a robot."

"So how does it work?" her mother asked before the conversation went another way.

"It charges with solar power. The guy told me that it has a full charge now. Once we turn it on we can fix its settings and program its chores. Apparently they will do absolutely anything you want them to do. Well," he clapped his hands. "I have a meeting to attend. I leave it with you, Anna. Explore and have fun."

Anna was left alone with the robot girl. She took her carefully out of the box and admired her. She looked just like a doll, with impeccable skin and silky hair blond to the point of appearing white. She was so peaceful, and so pretty…

After a lot of fumbling with the buttons on the nape of her neck, Anna managed to turn the android on. It made no sound, there were no twinkling lights or automaton voices anywhere. Anna waited. And then, she opened her eyes and stirred in her arms.

Anna jumped back, a little surprised. The android girl began moving experimentally, first the head, then the hands, then the legs. Her movements were fluid, not at all machine-like but absolutely human. She looked around and finally her gaze found Anna. The blue of her glass eyes was startling.

"Hi," she said.

"Um, hi…"

The girl's voice was husky, velvety. Anna had never heard anything so soft. The android looked around again. Anna rushed to help her get up.

"I'm sorry, this must all be so confusing."

"No, it's fine. I'm your android, right?"

"Yeah. I mean, when you say it like that… You're not like just an android, I mean, you _are_ an android, but not some machine thing. And you're not my android, or our android, well, my dad did buy you, but I don't want you to feel like property. Does any of that make sense?"

The girl smiled. "Yes, it does. Thank you. May I ask your name?"

"I'm Anna. What's yours?"

"I'm…" she stopped. "Well, I'm not sure I know. I don't think I have a name. I think you're supposed to choose it, so that it's definitely something you like. You decide everything."

"Really? Well, then we have to think about it, really think about it. I want you to like it, too, after all it's your name."

But first they had to configure her settings. According to the android girl there wasn't much Anna could work on at the moment because most of her functions developed with use, as she interacted with Anna and her family and learned about their needs. Eventually, she would be customized to the smallest detail.

In the meantime, Anna grabbed her laptop and sat with the girl on the sofa. They synchronized her to the operative system and began to look up potential names for her.

"What about Julia? Or Diane?"

"Um…"

"Ok, let's keep looking. Jessa? Caroline? Mary?"

"Maybe we should check another website."

"Elsa," said Anna suddenly.

"Where's that one?"

"No, it's not here. It just occurred to me. You look like a younger version of that Baroness from _The Sound of Music_."

"Elsa…" the girl repeated. "Elsa… I like it. I really do like it a lot."

"Done, then. Welcome to the family, Elsa."


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

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"So, do you want me to get started? Do you have anything you want me to do? I have permanent Wi-Fi connection, I can look up anything you need in milliseconds, and can get programmed into any task you desire. Also-"

Anna cut her. "Wait! Can we take it easy? There'll be time for everything later."

"Fine. What would you like to do, then?"

"Um… could we just talk?"

"Sure. What do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know. You tell me about you, I tell you about me. Just talk, get to know each other. That kind of stuff. Come on, sit here with me."

They sat on Anna's bed and stared at each other for a while. Finally, Elsa began.

"Alright, then. How old are you, Anna?"

"I'm eighteen. Just turned eighteen."

"So you're in high school?"

"Yeah, this is my last semester. After that I'll be going to college."

"What will you study?"

"Biology. I was thinking of doing a double degree with Architecture, but I'm not sure yet."

"Do you have any hobbies?"

"Uh… I play the piano, and sometimes I like to dance. I never took dance classes, though, I just freestyle. But enough about me. I want to know all about you."

Finding a question proved difficult; Elsa had no backstory -or any memories whatsoever before Anna had turned her on- and it was also too early for her to have preferences or tastes.

"So, um, do you sleep? Eat? What kind of care do you need?"

"I don't eat. In fact, food could harm me because of all the circuits inside me, so I cannot be given any. I don't sleep, either, but you can put me on rest mode whenever you wish and I will not bother you."

"No, no, I didn't mean it like that. I just want to know how to take care of you properly."

Elsa smiled. "Thank you, Anna, you're very kind. There isn't much to do, just make sure I'm charged. Other than that, I'm water resistant, bulletproof, and can stand heavy blows or crashes."

"Wow," breathed Anna. "That sounds awesome. What's it like, being so cool?"

Elsa smiled, and looked down softly. "It's the only life I know. But Anna, you too are really interesting. I mean, you know a lot, you have seen and done many things. That's amazing."

"Bah, just human things, nothing out of the ordinary." Anna rolled her eyes. "By the way, you'll be sharing this room with me, if that's fine…? Great! You can use all that area for your stuff. Do you have stuff?"

"Just my box."

"Oh, yeah, this thing. Wait, you say you only have your box? What about, I don't know, everything else?" Elsa shook her head. "Clothes? How about clothes?"

"These and another change."

That gave Anna an idea. "Then that's what we'll do. We're gonna get you some clothes. Come on, we're going to the mall!"

Anna rushed to get ready. Money had never been a problem to her, and she wanted her new friend to have all sorts of pretty things. Just to think of everything she'd get her made her happier than she'd been in a long time.

"Have you ever been on a hoverboard?" she asked, pulling hers out of the closet.

"No, never," came Elsa's reply. "Hey, that one comes from the same place I do."

"Really?"

"Yeah, look."

Elsa showed her the brand name on the back of the board, and then moved her hair to the side so that Anna could see the same name on the back of her left ear.

"I didn't know Ishiguro made hoverboards," Anna commented. "I thought they specialized on robotics."

"The Ishiguro Company has many branches now. The main one is definitely robotics and androids like me, but it has started to work on new-generation transport systems."

They headed downstairs and Anna mounted the board. Under her instructions, Elsa joined behind her, and sought a spot for balance.

Anna grabbed Elsa's hands and placed them on either side of her waist.

"Come on, hold on to me."

"You don't mind?" Elsa asked.

"You can't be worse than some guys I've gone out with."

Anna's body felt warm, even through the jacket. Elsa registered that warmth, just like she had saved the chirpiness of her voice, the softness of her skin, the red shades of her hair, the natural _thump-thump_ of her heart. Anna was her owner, wasn't she? It was Elsa's job to know her and appreciate her to the smallest detail, wasn't it? As they rode to the mall, Elsa watched other girls and women they passed, and was convinced that there was none as pretty as the one she had been bought for.

Elsa had been distracted by her own analysis, and her grip on Anna loosened. Instantly, the human girl was securing her again.

"Hold on tighter, I can barely feel you. You know what? Hold under my jacket, that way you'll be safer."

Elsa could only assume the whirling of engines inside her body was a natural, programmed reaction to the contact.

Anna soon noticed the board's movements were even smoother and faster than usual; behind her, Elsa seemed to have been born on the board.

"Wow, you're a natural."

"Its signal and mine got synchronized," Elsa replied matter-of-factly. "The board balances both of us and since I've told it where we're going it knows the way and you don't have to do anything but enjoy the ride."

"Wait a minute. You're driving the hoverboard?"

"Yes."

Anna sighed. "And here I was trying to make sure you didn't get hurt."

They arrived to the mall in record time. Once there they dismounted the board –Anna wanted to take their time walking into every shop, and the machine could easily follow behind them. They'd only gotten started when a new hoverboard caught up with them.

"Heyyy, Anna."

"Oh, hello Hans." Anna grabbed Elsa's hand and quickened her step.

Hans matched her speed with his board. "Wait, wait, wait, not so fast. Christmas is coming, y'know."

Without looking at him, Anna groaned an answer. "I do, Hans, what about it?"

"Well, I was thinking, perhaps you would like to come to my place, have some punch, cuddle by the fireplace, and who knows, maybe there'll be mistletoe somewhere around-"

From the tone of Anna's voice, it obvious the conversation had taken place many times before. "I thought I'd made it clear, Hans. I want nothing from you anymore. And I'm sure as hell not going anywhere near your place ever again."

Anna tried to keep walking, but Hans grabbed her arm.

"Please, love, give me another chance-"

Instantly, Elsa stepped forward, getting between Anna and Hans.

"You heard her. She wants nothing from you. Now get lost."

"Wow, who are you? I don't think we've met. I mean, you can both come over if you want." Hans looked her over, and appreciation turned to recognition. "Oh, I see, you're one of the androids. You almost fooled me for a second. You're so realistic!"

Hans reached out to touch Elsa's face. This time it was Anna who got between them.

"Go away, Hans, and leave her alone. She's mine."

He snorted. "Protective of your new toy, aren't you? Don't worry, Anna, I've got _plenty_ of toys. You can come try them whenever you want. See you around. Bye, doll," he called at Elsa.

One they had lost him Anna sighed in relief and annoyance. Then she turned to Elsa, and her voice softened.

"Sorry about that. Thank you for defending me."

"Don't mention it. It's my job to detect a threat to you and deactivate it. Who's that, anyway?"

"That's Hans, my ex-boyfriend. We really didn't finish in the best of terms, but he's been trying to get me back with him."

"Has he hurt you? Has he tried anything?" There seemed to be a hint of concern in Elsa's voice.

"No, not really, but it's still very unpleasant to see him. Whatever. I refuse to let that idiot ruin our day. Let's continue."

Anna soon put the incident behind her and focused all her attention in the significantly more important task of picking the most gorgeous clothes she could find for Elsa. Dresses, coats, beanies, shirts, flats, boots, no expense was too much for Anna. When she perceived Elsa's newfound taste for lace and knit sweaters, the android girl found herself overloaded with them.

"Anna," she eventually had to say, "it's my job to protect you. And that also means protecting you from yourself. One more swipe of that card and you're going to get yourself in huge trouble, and me along."

"Don't worry, Elsa, it's fine. Look, just one more thing. If this fits you, we'll take it and it'll be the last one, okay?"

But, of course, it wasn't the last one, not by far. Elsa was forced to intervene again.

"Anna," she said for the tenth time, "I've told you I don't need a bed. If you're so concerned about it, get that divan. You can use it during the day and put me on it and set me on rest mode at night while you sleep and don't need my presence. And that's it. That's it, Anna! Give me the card. No pouting, just give me the card. There you go. If we missed anything, we can always come back. I'm immune to puppy eyes, Anna, you're wasting your time."

Anna's tantrum lasted a few minutes after they left that last store, but as soon as the mall music changed so did her mood.

"Oh, listen! I love this song, but I'm too lazy to look it up and I keep forgetting. Isn't it pretty?"

"It's a Korean pop song called _Mechanics of a Heart_. I just downloaded it to your laptop. Lyrics and artwork too."

Anna beamed. "Elsa, you're the best!" A gust of wind suddenly made her shiver. "Whooo! It's getting more wintry here every day."

"Are you too cold?" Elsa asked her.

"No."

"You're lying." She looked at Anna's face and touched her cheek with the back of her fingers. "Your skin feels cold and your pulse is rushing. At this rate, and with the speed of the hoverboard, you'll be trembling by the time you get home. I suggest a coffee."

"Sounds great. But I'm more the hot chocolate type."

"Chocolate it is. There are fourteen places here where we can get hot chocolate. Which one would you like?"

Fourteen places? Anna had never noticed more than one or two. "Uh… Starbucks…?"

"Anna, you can do better than Starbucks. Look, averaging prices and customer reviews with variety in the menu, the best place to get your chocolate is Hot Mama, third floor to the right."

Despite Anna's doubts, Hot Mama proved to be the perfect choice. Five minutes later, Anna was proudly holding the largest cup known to mankind; the chocolate was light yet creamy, flavored but not overly sweet, and she had even been given a free cookie. It was perfect.

"Elsa, I definitely don't know how I survived all these years without you," she said with her mouth full.

The android girl laughed. "Hot mama," she said, nudging Anna with her hip.

Anna stared at her, wide-eyed. "Excuse me?"

Elsa laughed again. "Come on, that was funny. I can tell you like a sense of humor."

Anna began laughing, too, and shook her head. "You're so much better than I imagined, really."

She put her arm around Elsa's and continued walking. The android girl stared at their joined limbs. Not one of the 1.7893 billion reactions her software instantly gave her felt the right one for the sudden overactivity of her circuits.

When they got home, Anna was only too eager to make Elsa model every single thing they had bought. Her parents, however, had other plans for the new robot and did want her to get started on her actual tasks.

Though Elsa was mostly Anna's there were a few chores she would have to do for the entire family. She was showed around the house, and given instructions as to the rules she had to follow. To Anna's relief, her father had accepted the android's name and female identity, which spared them yet another uncomfortable argument on people and their pronouns.

"Alright, Elsa, your main job will be to take care of this little one here," he patted Anna's cheek. "I've been told you're programmed with Asimov's Rules of Robotics?"

"Yes, sir. Asimov's Rules as accepted by the Code of Discipline and Ethics for Robots, Humanoids, and Androids."

"Good, good. You'll do nicely for my girl. Her curfew is one a.m. on weekdays, two on Saturdays and Sundays. Make sure she eats, she studies, she does well in school, and she doesn't get pregnant."

"Dad!"

"What? That is important. You can't get pregnant, can you, Elsa?"

"No, I can't."

"Good. I don't want anyone getting knocked up around here. Since Anna's school insists on not allowing androids inside, while she's there you will stay and help my wife. We've got cleaning help, so you'll mostly assist with taking calls, running errands, going shopping with her, that kind of stuff. I'm seldom home, but if there's anything I need I'll let you know. Questions?"

"No, sir. If you allow me, I'll tune myself to the signals on all the mobile devices in the house, so you can reach me whenever you desire."

"Perfect. Well then, enjoy her, Anna. She's all yours."

Anna all but dragged Elsa back to her room. The first thing she did was listen to the song she'd caught at the mall; just as Elsa had told her it was ready for her. She lied in bed while she followed the lyrics with the translation Elsa had also provided.

"Thank you so much, Elsa. This song is beautiful."

"I didn't do anything. You were the one who liked it in the first place."

"Yeah, but you got it for me. You're helping me come out of my own mess."

Anna's smile was warm and sincere. This time, the software produced 2.1595 billion interpretations for that smile, and still none felt right. But before Elsa could pay more attention to that, her hyperactive owner decided to put her through the interrupted session of modeling. Horrified, Elsa managed to ask about Anna's plans for the following day before anything happened. It worked; immediately Anna grabbed a small control and clicked. The air screen popped up.

"Hm, so let's see… There's a public concert at the main square tomorrow. I was thinking of going, wanna come with me?"

"Do you want me to go?"

"I'd love it."

"Then I will."

Anna groaned and tensed her fingers. She sat up and looked directly into Elsa's eyes.

"No, not like that. I don't want you to come with me because I tell you to, or because I 'own' you," she made the quotation marks in the air. "I want you to come because you want to come, because you want to be there. I don't want you to feel like a slave when we're together. You're my friend. So, do _you_ want to come to the concert with me?"

The specifications for the tenth generation of androids made it impossible for them to actually _want_ anything for themselves –if their owner wanted, so did they. Nothing more.

Anna would have known that, if she hadn't spent her two years of Technology classes doodling and staring out the window. Yet now she didn't, and she wouldn't find out until much later. If she had known then, it might have saved them a lot of trouble. But she didn't. Her android had no choice but to ask herself whether she wanted to attend the concert.

Elsa placed her hand on Anna's. "I would love to go with you, Anna. I really would."

And Elsa _wanted._


	3. Chapter Three

**Hey there! New chapter!**

**Some of you pointed out last time that a more accurate term for Elsa would be **_**gynoid**_**, given that she's female. Unfortunately, though strictly speaking it **_**is**_** more appropriate, the use of this word in other works of fiction has given it connotations I do not want Elsa to have. A gynoid has come to mean, yes, a female robot, but a rather sexualized one, whose development of femininity serves as an instrument of low seduction and exploitation of her beauty for others' pleasure and something she wields as a weapon rather than as the uniqueness of being a woman. It has also been applied to sex dolls. With all that in mind, I have decided to continue using the term **_**android**_**, which doesn't necessarily mean someone male, but has become a neutral term for all robots.**

**Also, those on Tumblr might be aware there's some sort of attack going on against Elsanna fanfics. Though none of mind have been targeted (I think), I just wanted to let you know that all my Elsanna work is also available on AO3, with the same titles, and over there I use the penname GlitterAndSnow. I think that at last this story will be safe, but just in case.**

**That said, enjoy!**

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**Chapter Three**

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Elsa had never been to a concert. Evidently. That is why the following afternoon she didn't let go of Anna's hand as they walked into the main square.

"Will there be many more like me?" she asked Anna. Their walks together had gotten Elsa a lot of attention from random people on the street, and she really didn't feel like going through more _oooh_s and _aaahh_s from curious humans.

"I guess. It's hard to tell, you guys look so much like us. But hey, don't worry, I'm here with you. I know it's awkward to have people wanting to touch you and ask you questions all the time, but believe me, these are all music nerds and don't care much for anything else."

They picked up their programs and found their seats. Elsa quickly found a few signals from fellow androids in the concert, and felt relieved. However, though a couple of them tried to start a conversation with her, Anna's enthusiastic talk about what they were about to hear was much more appealing.

"It's a symphonic orchestration of The Beatles' music. It's their one hundred and fiftieth anniversary and everyone's trying to do the most original tribute. But I think nothing can beat a full-on orchestra version of _All you need is love_."

Anna spoke with such excitement that Elsa couldn't help rolling her eyes. She had known that little thing for twenty-four hours, yet it felt like forever. Maybe it was the fact that Anna was the first person Elsa had ever seen or talked to, or that she was her first memory and pretty much everything she knew. Something, something set Anna apart.

Needless to say, Elsa had unlimited access to every piece of knowledge the world have ever produced… yet Anna was the only one Elsa could be sure was true. How could she be certain of the foreign landscapes and places her system showed her? Did they even exist or were they just holograms? Yet the girl drumming her fingers and nodding her head to the sounds couldn't be doubted.

"I love this kind of music," Anna continued during the intermission. "You know, with actual physical instruments. I mean, the digital ones and the hologram music is nice and all, but the real thing is so much prettier." After a pause, she added. "Do you like it?"

"Of course I do," Elsa was quick to answer. "You were right, it's really beautiful. I think you have a very special taste for music. I heard you play the piano the other day, you're really good, Anna, you really are. Have you ever considered going professional?"

"Sometimes. But it's more like wishful thinking, I mean, who lives off being a pianist these days? Plus I really do like Biology, so if I can make a decent living out of something I actually enjoy, all the better. Oh, it's about to start. Are you ready for the grand finale?"

To Anna's immense delight, when they got back home she found that Elsa had recorded the entire concert and polished the audio so that only the music and no voices could be heard. They played it during the entire week, while Anna tried to catch up with some holiday homework and Elsa drew pictures on the redhead's old textbooks.

Anna's attempts at responsibility failed surprisingly quick. Something else kept stealing her attention, to the point she could only focus on that. On _her._ Anna found herself constantly watching Elsa work under the sunlight. It was a mesmerizing sight: the brightness didn't seem to bother her eyes, and the movement of her hands over the paper flowed easily, not one trace of robotness in her.

Even though she was working with charcoal her fingers weren't smudged. Her loose ponytail allowed several flyaway hairs onto her face. They caught the light and glittered prettily. _She's so beautiful_, Anna thought.

"You're staring at me," Elsa commented without looking up.

"I'm sorry," Anna replied, blushing. "It's just that…"_ …you're so beautiful. _"What's your skin made of?" she blurted out instead.

"Silicone. It's 3D-printed from human references so it looks as natural as possible."

"Wow. It does look real. Would you mind if I… wait, no, never mind."

"What? Anna, you know you can ask me anything."

"I just… oh, fine. Would you mind if I touch it?"

Elsa smiled reassuringly. "No, of course not." She got up from the divan and went to sit on the floor next to Anna. "Go ahead."

Anna took Elsa's hand in hers. She examined, looked at the android's fingers and carefully manicured nails. Flawless. Elsa was smooth, and though she had been made to resemble humans as much as possible, there was a silky quality to her skin that set her apart. Anna then carefully touched Elsa's palm, traced all the lines carved with detailed randomness, and placed it back down. Elsa stared at Anna's pursed lips and the way she avoided meeting her eyes.

"Would you like to touch more?" she asked her human.

"What do you mean?" stammered Anna, feeling her heart accelerate.

"I don't know. You seem curious about it, you can feel more if you want."

Though somewhat hesitantly, Anna brushed Elsa's face with the back of her hand. Elsa didn't move, or show any emotion. She sat quietly while Anna switched to her fingertips, touching her cheekbones, her forehead, her eyelids.

The android girl's system slowed, everything pausing under her command to focus all energy on Anna's touch. Her carefully crafted skin didn't miss one variation in pressure or speed, and registered everything. _She likes my cheeks. She keeps touching my cheeks. She's touching my hair. Does she like it? She put a strand behind my ear, maybe she doesn't like the hair on my face._

Finally, Anna's hand left. Elsa opened her eyes and her system went back to full operation.

"Thank you," said the human softly.

"Any time."

Anna took a couple of seconds to form her next sentence.

"Um… you can touch me, too, if you want to. I mean, you let me touch you, so… it's fair."

Elsa smiled; she knew more about Anna's skin than Anna herself. Still, the girl was trying to reciprocate and be kind with her android. Why not take her offer?

Slowly, she raised her hand and cupped Anna's face. She stroked her cheek, covered in a dusting of freckles. She ran her thumb over Anna's cheekbone, and then over her lips.

And then it hit. Elsa realized she knew all about human skin, but nothing about _Anna's_ skin. She knew exactly how a person's epidermis was formed and how it was supposed to feel like, yet was absolutely clueless as to how _Anna's_ skin would be to her touch. Anna's skin was warm, Anna's skin was uneven, it had a scar here and a mark there and freckles _everywhere_. It was authentic, honest and beautiful in a way that Elsa's lab-achieved glow would never be.

Her hand slipped to Anna's bare arm, fingers sliding down the spotted surface. Inside her, circuits tried to communicate and establish a reaction to what she was perceiving. But none felt right. Anna had been quite unexpected.

Elsa's eyes dropped down to the V-line of Anna's shirt. She could distinguish the shapes underneath, very much like the ones Elsa herself had. But Elsa's body, though generously formed, was nothing except resin, silicone, foam, and gold circuits. She could hear Anna's heartbeat –Anna actually had a heart, not a programmed setting that would mimic the pulse where there where only wires.

Once again, her system began to shut the parts it didn't need to touch Anna. Something else stirred instead, another part of her configurations that hadn't been active before. It felt more effortless, more instinctive, a behavior that simply was, simply happened. If Elsa had known better, it would have alarmed her. But how could she have known, if her makers were so sure of themselves that it didn't occur to them someone like her could exist?

Elsa felt a strange tingle under her skin, an urge, a buzzing. She wanted to touch more, to keep feeling Anna. But she shouldn't. But something in Anna's eyes was so inviting. But she definitely shouldn't, but she wanted, and why she shouldn't and why she wanted Elsa couldn't say.

To face the confusing signals she was getting from her human girl and her own settings, the software protected itself by fleeing the stimulus. That is, Elsa suddenly dropped her hand and moved away.

"What happened?" Anna asked.

"I… I don't know."

"Did I do anything?"

"No! I mean, of course not. I don't know what happened. Please forgive me."

Elsa hurried back to the divan and turned the music's volume up. She resumed her drawing, but still felt Anna's eyes on her. She looked up briefly and Anna averted her gaze, making a point of reading her Biology notes. No mention of the episode was ever made again, but it never left their minds.

One morning, as Elsa came back from rest mode, she saw Anna jumping and bouncing merrily on her bed.

"Elsa!" she chanted. "You know what day tomorrow is?"

Elsa beamed. "It's Christmas."

"Yes! Aren't you excited?"

"I suppose."

"No! 'I suppose' is not the answer! You should say 'Yes, I'm hella excited because Christmas is the best time of the year and I can't wait!'"

"If you say so," the android laughed.

"I do! And now come up here and jump with me!"

Elsa joined her atop the bed. Anna held her hands and made her spring along. The data stored inside Elsa matched the behavior to an eight-year-old's, but Anna was too enchanting in her joy to turn her down.

"Isn't this fun?"

"It is," Elsa admitted. Then she spotted something out the window and it was her turn to be excited. "Oh, but look! It snowed last night!"

They both rushed to admire the sight. A white sheet covered the street and the cars and the trees, and when Anna opened the window a chilly air filled the room.

Elsa side-eyed Anna, and a smirk appeared on her face.

"Do you wanna build a snowman?"

Anna's eyes lit up. "Yes! Come on, come on, come on!"

Elsa turned around and patted her shoulders. "Here, Anna. I'll carry you."

"Wait, what?"

"I'll carry you on my back. Come on, up up up."

Anna climbed up, securing her thighs around Elsa's waist and her arms around her neck. Once she was secured, Elsa began to run.

"Aaaahh! Elsa!"

"I'm a plane!"

"Elsa!"

"Bruuuuum!"

They rushed down the stairs, calling a distant hello to Anna's parents, and finally landed on a mountain of snow.

"That was amazing!" Anna exclaimed.

"I thought you would like it. You're a great passenger, by the way. The crew appreciates it."

"Ha! Thank you. Now, our snowman…"

If they had been able to give life to their creations, Anna and Elsa would have owned a powerful army after a couple of hours. A row of snowmen stood proudly on the garden, decorated with all sorts of branches and leaves. They built boys, and girls, and puppies, and bears, and each one of them got a name and an outfit.

Delighted, Anna began a round of tag that had them running and zigzagging around their creations. When she finally collapsed on the snow from exhaustion, Elsa pretended to lose the game and crashed next to her.

"Smile," Anna panted as she pulled out her phone.

Elsa rested her head on Anna's shoulder and posed. Anna took the picture and then turned to Elsa. She gave the android a kiss on the cheek and took another picture of Elsa's startled face as she received the touch.

They went back upstairs to rest, Elsa trying to comfort Anna about the fact that she wasn't allowed to open her presents yet.

"It's because they still need my approval," she joked. "If I find you're getting another me you can bet she'll be on her way back to Japan before sunrise."

"Yes she will, because _I'll_ be sending her back."

But once they were in Anna's room, the redhead's voice took a different shade.

"Elsa? I… well, I'm not sure if this is common in Android-land, or if I'm breaking some protocol here, but… I got you something for Christmas."

Anna produced a little box from her drawer, prettily wrapped in creamy paper and a golden bow.

"Oh, Anna, you really shouldn't have."

"Don't worry about it. It's a trinket, it's nothing special. Just thought that I should give you something today. Why are you looking at me like that?"

Elsa's smile had changed, and Anna could have even said she looked nervous.

"Anna, it's just that… I got you something, too."

Elsa reached into her bag and produced another box, of a similar size but wrapped in silver paper. She offered it to Anna timidly.

"I hope you like it."

"I hope you like yours," murmured the redhead.

They opened the boxes simultaneously. Anna gasped, and Elsa closed her eyes and let out a laugh.

"We got each other the same thing," said Anna, half laughing, half shaking her head in embarrassment.

The girls took the bracelets out. They were made of woven green silk, twisted into a complicated pattern. Golden beads gave the finishing touches.

"Well," Elsa declared. "I love my gift."

"And I adore mine."

They tied the bracelets around each other's wrist and admired the look. There was a secret delight in both of them at the idea of sharing something so visible.

"I will never take it off," Elsa promised with a smile.

"Neither will I. We'll be friends forever, won't we? I know! We'll be sisters. Don't you want to be my sister?"

Anna stared hopefully at Elsa. _Oh no, did that sound too cheesy? Am I being absurd? Gosh, Anna, why are you so-_

"I'll be anything you need me to be, now and forever," answered Elsa. "And because I _want_ to," she added, with a light caress on Anna's chin to punctuate her words.

Suddenly, Anna put her arms around Elsa. The warmth, the pressure, the closeness, took the android girl by surprise. _It's only a hug_, she thought. _Just hug her back_. And so she did.

Elsa was strong, a hardened body with physical power she hadn't yet learned to master. But being so tightly held was no problem for Anna. Wrapped in Elsa's arms, Anna had the impression that nothing bad would ever, ever happen to her as long as her new sister was there.

"Merry Christmas, Elsa."

"Merry Christmas, Anna."

::::::::

"Elsa, I'm bored."

Evenings and nights were a quiet affair in Anna's house. Her parents would be working in their separate stuff until late, and she would spend hour after hour in her room trying to find new things to do. The new year had brought a new work project for her father, which meant he was spending even less time with Anna than usual. But now, finally, she had company.

"Well, what would you like to do?"

"Um… I know! Sit here beside me." She patted a spot on the bed, right next to her, and Elsa followed. "Elsa, do you know the app that lets you, like, find images and project them? It's called AtmoMood or something like that."

"Yeah, sure. What would you want to see?"

"Do you have anything skyish?"

"Skyish? What kind of sky do you have in mind? I've got Northern Lights, dawns, twilights, the sky in Lambda, in Venus, in Asteroid B612…"

"Something big. Something that makes me feel tiny and believe in magic. Like stars and stuff."

"Let me see. Close your eyes or you'll ruin it."

Elsa activated the air screen via her wireless. She browsed through a few options until she found one that Anna would like. The screen morphed into an image projected on all walls and the roof.

"Okay. You can look now."

"Whoa," Anna murmured. They were no longer in her room –every surface was covered in stars and planets, distant points of light that were millions of years away and spheres that felt close enough to touch. The universe moved slightly, not so fast that Anna would get dizzy, but enough to make her feel minuscule and at the same time part of a bigger plan. _This is real. This is happening right now._

"Do you like it?" Elsa asked.

"It's perfect. What's this galaxy? It's not ours, is it?"

"No, it's Labrys."

"Something tells me I should know more about it than I actually do."

"It was discovered twenty years ago. It looks a lot like the actual Labrys symbol, you know, the axe, and so the scientists decided to call it like that. It's got at least a hundred planetary systems like ours. It's really far, but scientists are trying to find a way to get there to see if there's life there like there was in Andromeda."

"That's so cool…"

"I know…"

Anna watched Elsa from the corner of her eye. The android breathed calmly, watching the galaxy with the same wonder Anna felt. Looking at her in that moment, it was impossible to tell that she wasn't human. The expression on her face was just as fascinated as Anna's own.

Anna leaned back onto the pillows, and Elsa followed. Lying side by side on the bed, the human girl had never been so emotionally close to anyone before. Oh, there had been boys, a few here and there, but none had come this far; certainly none had reached her bed. Yet now there she was, resting her head on a robot's shoulder while the music from her concert (their concert, Anna now liked to think) played softly in the background.

She reached for Elsa's hand. The blonde's thumb ran across her skin. They remained silent, their star-covered bodies close together and peaceful.

And Anna wouldn't have it any other way.


	4. Chapter Four

04

"Anna, wake up."

"Mmhññ…"

"Anna, come on, wake up."

"Mññno…" Anna wailed.

"Anna, it's your first day of school. Come on, let's get you ready."

Elsa cradled Anna in her arms and gently pulled her out of bed.

"Want me to make you breakfast?"

"Elsa, you're not my maid."

"I just want to make this day easier for you. Come on, get dressed and I'll cook you something meanwhile."

Anna finally stood up and began looking for her clothes. When Elsa returned, she carried a tray full of the most delicious food Anna had ever tasted. While she ate, the android braided her hair into some complicated hairstyle with a ribbon.

"Oh, you look so pretty," commented Elsa enthusiastically.

For all answer, Anna yawned. Elsa took her gently by the hand and led her downstairs.

"Alright," she began, "so I'll take you to school from now on. You know the rules don't allow androids inside, so while you're in there I'll run some house errands. I'm going grocery shopping, do you need anything?"

"I'm fine, thank you."

Elsa checked Anna's hair one more time, and declared her perfect.

"You're going to stun them. Ready?"

"Never. Let's go, we can ride my bike."

Anna's bike was one of her most valued treasures. A gift from a couple of birthdays ago, it had been her companion through a lot of adventures. It was strong and reliable, and now even better thanks to Elsa.

Anna took the back seat. "You drive this time," she announced to Elsa, "that way I can sleep a bit more on our way."

"Anna, if you sleep while on the bike you'll fall off and die."

"Well, I'm hoping you'd catch me on time."

Elsa rolled her eyes took the lead of the bike. She had been working on it under Anna's request and that's how the second seat had been added, along with brighter lights, a claxon, and a remote control system like the one the hoverboard had.

She soon realized how Anna planned to stay in place while sleeping –she put her arms around Elsa's waist and rested her head on her shoulders. Anna wiggled on her seat until she found the perfect position and sighed contently.

For a girl her size, Anna's grip was immensely strong. She held Elsa close and tight and made herself comfortable. It was an easy thing to do; she trusted Elsa immensely, and the android's body provided an extraordinary pillow. _This is so good… I really don't deserve this kind of good…_

Above them, a train passed with a blur. Its silent power fascinated Elsa.

"Have you ever taken the train?" she asked.

"Mhm," answered Anna. "But it's too fast for my liking, you can't even notice the things around you."

"It's the microbots. Their magnetic force is too powerful and that enhances speed." Elsa watched as another train passed by.

"I know that, it's meant to be super efficient and super cool. But I still don't like it. I'm sure Hiro Tamada never meant for his stuff to deprive us of the world going on around us."

After her last remark Anna fell silent. It didn't take long for Elsa to realize that, true to her promise, the redhead was deeply asleep. Her grip on her did not lessen one bit, but her body softened over Elsa's. The android tried to warm herself in order to provide some heat for Anna given the morning chill, and heard the human make a small noise of contentment.

Elsa did not disturb her for the rest of the ride, and only woke her up when they reached the school. Once there, Anna began wailing again.

"Hug hug hug," she chanted, reaching out for Elsa with open arms.

Elsa hugged her and patted her back. She cradled Anna and waited for her tantrum to subside.

"Come in with me," pleaded Anna. "No one can tell you're not human. We'll tell them you're the new girl."

"Anna, I'm afraid everyone knows what I am. It's not like you've been discreet about your Christmas gift."

Anna made another gesture of distaste. Elsa cupped her face gently.

"Hey, hey, what's going on? Is there any reason in particular you don't wanna go in? Does anyone do something you're not comfortable with?"

Anna realized she had overreacted when she saw there was true concern in Elsa's face, and blushed as she shook her head.

"No. I just complain because I don't want to lose the freedom I had these days, and I hate waking up early. And I'm really going to miss you."

Elsa laughed, relieved. "It's only a few hours, you silly, it's not forever. But I'll be within reach if you need me. Here, have this," Elsa handed her a tiny piece that looked like an earplug.

"What is it?"

"It's a wireless auricular. I have one, too, and we'll use it to stay communicated throughout the day. The controls are installed in your watch. Just press this button here and you can talk to me anytime."

"You take such good care of me," smiled Anna.

"Of course I do. You're my girl."

Something stirred in Anna's stomach upon hearing that. She'd always hated the idea of being called someone's girl, but now that it was Elsa who said it Anna realized she didn't mind. On the contrary, it was pleasant. Nice. She was Elsa's to protect. Anna had the sudden impression that as long as Elsa was with her, nothing bad would happen.

She hugged her once more and walked into the building.

"I'll be here to pick you up," Elsa called after her.

Anna was halfway through the main garden when she heard his voice.

"Heyy, Annie, how's it going?"

She sighed. "What do you want, Hans?"

"Talk, just talk. You know, I just got a job. A really good one, at the Ishiguro Company. Remember I was top of my Robotics class last semester?"

"I don't remember, Hans, and I honestly don't care."

Hans was unfazed by her remark. "It's really good. It won't take me long to make my way to the top. Do you still want me to work on your bike? I remember you once said you wanted to upgrade it. I'd do it for free. And maybe even buy you dinner afterwards."

"My bike has been upgraded, thanks. I don't need your help."

Hans glanced at the bike. "Ah, I see. I'm guessing your robot did it? Are they as good as they say? I've been thinking of getting one myself."

"So you can be even more useless than you already are? I don't think that's such a good idea."

"C'mon Anna, don't be so mean to me. Look, even if you've done your bike, my offer on the dinner is still standing. Pick you up at eight?"

Finally losing her patience, Anna glared at him, her usually sweet blue eyes turned icy.

"If you ever talk to me again the only thing you'll be picking up will be your teeth off the ground. Get lost and leave me alone."

Anna hurried past him to the first class of her last semester. If everything went well, she'd get her acceptance letter for the International Institute of Biology in a few weeks, pack her stuff right after her April exams, and hopefully never see the jerk again. And she'd take Elsa along, no matter what stupid rules schools had about androids.

Anna tried, she really tried, but after the first hour she couldn't handle it anymore. Taking advantage of her seat at the back of the room, she put on the auricular and pressed the buttons.

"Elsa?"

"Anna? How are you? Do you need anything?" Elsa's voice sounded perfectly clear.

"Not really, I'm just bored and I wanted to talk."

"Why are you whispering?"

"'Cause I'm in class."

"Anna!"

"Sorry."

"Ah, it's ok, I suppose I should be grateful you're in the classroom at all. What's your class?"

"Genetic engineering. We're discussing the process to have a child who possesses enhanced traits and physique from birth."

Anna sighed, and Elsa decided to stay silent. She knew that Anna herself was one of those enhanced children –her parents had been hoping for an athlete. Anna's decision to pursue an academic career instead was a cause of permanent strain in the house.

Since Elsa hadn't completely figured out Anna's stance on having been designed from conception, she decided to change the topic.

"Hey, you sound upset. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah. I just… I ran into Hans, you know, my ex, and it wasn't nice."

"Did he do anything? Should I kill him? Do you want me to go get you?"

"No, no, I'm fine. It's just… it's uncomfortable. But I'll survive."

Anna made it through the couple of hours she had left by doodling and reading under the table. When the last class was over, she

True to her word, Elsa was waiting for her. When she saw her, Anna felt a sort of warmth she'd never experienced.

They took the same positions on the bike, only this time Anna was fully awake now, and could hold herself up. The ride home felt shorter than the morning one, and once Anna was back in the safety of her room, she plopped herself on her bed and groaned.

"How was school?" Elsa asked her.

"Fine, I guess. Boring. All that stuff I've studied a hundred times over, you know, 'cause I had to take the advanced courses to apply to the Institute… I didn't hear anything new today."

"You're so smart," said Elsa proudly. "You'll be top of your class and you'll get to give a beautiful speech when you graduate."

"I hope so. That way I can tell everybody just how dumb they are. How was your day?"

"Just as exciting as yours. But I did see a lot of new places and made friends with a rabbit who lives a few blocks from here. I'll take you to meet him. By the way, I bought you cheese. Your favourite."

That brought more light to Anna's eyes. "Thanks! How did you know it's my favourite?"

"Last time you ate the entire package in two days." Elsa rolled her eyes.

Anna laughed, and then pursed her lips as she looked at Elsa hesitantly.

"You are about to ask me something," the android guessed.

Anna struggled with words for a while.

"Could you…" she eventually managed to say, "could you make me a grilled cheese? I know I shouldn't be asking that, I don't want you to feel like I want you to serve me, but you make them so good, I don't know what you put in them, but they're amazing, and I was wondering if I could… have… one… yes?"

Anna was blushing furiously, but Elsa's eyes were full of tenderness.

"Want to come to the kitchen with me? I also bought you chocolate milk."

Anna's smile was brighter than Christmas. For a moment, she considered asking Elsa if she could ride on her back like she had once done, but decided against it. _You can't be so demanding, Anna. One thing at the time._ Instead, she gave Elsa's hand a gentle squeeze and followed her on foot. There, that was much more civilized.

Elsa led the way to the kitchen, aware of Anna's footsteps behind her. _You fool. You could have asked her to ride on your back._

Even when a robot is on rest mode, it's very design prevents it from ever being truly deactivated. Its job consisted on always being there, present and alert for when its owner needed anything. No matter how deep its pretended slumber was, the slightest abnormal activity would bring a robot back to action.

That is why Elsa found herself wide awake in the middle of the night: her system was reporting some kind of distress from Anna. She was still in bed, but her body rocked in waves, and she breathed in short gasps. Her eyes were closed and she seemed extremely focused.

_Heartbeat accelerated, blood flow irregular. Is she dying? Is she having a heart attack?_

The bed covers were around Anna's waist. One hand came up frequently and roamed her torso; the other one wasn't anywhere to be seen. Anna swallowed back a moan and folded her leg; a lot of activity appeared to be going on between-

Realization dawned on Elsa. _She's… oh._ Elsa tried to find a way, any way, to shut herself off and give Anna privacy, but her system was stubbornly trying to deal with a distress signal. _Can I make it to the bathroom without her noticing?_

But, concentrated as Anna seemed to be, Elsa knew she would notice, and so she decided to look at the ceiling and browse pictures of puppies with the built-in lens inside her eyes. Anna continued, her breath more irregular and her movements quicker. Elsa tried to be as still as possible to avoid making the moment even more awkward.

Finally, Anna moaned quietly and her whole body tensed. She threw her head back and panted, then grabbed the cover with one hand while the other moved frantically under the sheets. Her lips parted in a silent cry.

It lasted a few seconds and then, drawing deep breaths, Anna rolled her head and turned to the side… right into Elsa's open, terrified eyes.

"Elsa! Oh shit, oh shit, I'm sorry."

"No, no, _I'm_ sorry."

"Did you see… everything?"

Elsa nodded. "I wanted to go and leave you alone, but I didn't want to disturb or interrupt. I mean, you seemed so into it…"

The darkness was no obstacle for Elsa to see Anna's face, redder than her hair. "I'm sorry. It's just been an awfully stressful week, and I needed a break. I didn't mean to offend you."

"No, no, no, you don't have to apologize. You could never offend me. If that works for you, if it makes you feel good, that's what counts."

"Yeah, well, it's something at least."

"Have you ever done it?" asked Elsa. "All the way?" Immediately, she covered her face with her hands. "I'm sorry, that was a terribly insensitive question, I shouldn't have-"

But Anna placed a hand on hers. "No, don't worry. You're the only person I don't mind asking me that. And well, um, no, actually I haven't. Waiting for the right one to arrive and all that."

"Oh, I see," nodded Elsa, trying to mask her relief. "I thought maybe that boy, the one you dated…"

Anna shook her head with a side grimace. "Nah. He had my best friend for that. And the girl next door. And the daughter of a friend of his father. You get the idea."

Elsa observed Anna. How someone would deliberately step on Anna, cheat on Anna, make Anna suffer, was beyond her understanding. She was so precious… Anna appeared to her as something extremely pure, something that needed to be guarded and protected at all costs.

Elsa would have liked to tell her all this, but she sensed the human girl was tired; her preferred method of relaxation was apparently quite effective. And so Elsa only kissed the redhead's temple and tucked her in.

"You sleep now, little one. Sweet dreams."

Elsa looked Anna over one last time to make sure she was fine. Her gaze fell on the girl's lips. Her smile froze for a moment. Something inside her buzzed.

"Elsa? Is everything okay?"

She didn't answer. Avoiding Anna's eyes, she quickly rose from the bed and headed to her divan.

"Sleep, Anna."

Elsa lay down with her back to the human, but was still able to hear when she fell asleep. She listened to Anna's breath, calmed and even. There was no need for a distress signal anymore, but Elsa still felt uneasy. Back and back again came that image of Anna's lips, and the sounds of immense pleasure she'd made just minutes earlier. Together, they tormented Elsa relentlessly.

She lay awake for the rest of the night, trying to burn away those thoughts.

But something told her, they were just getting started.


End file.
